NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The city’s main library is hosting a screening of the documentary, “Mr. Temple and the Tigerbelles,” on Thursday, Oct. 18.

The screening at the Nashville Public Library at 615 Church Street is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Screenings will also be held at Middle Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt University on Oct. 18.

Tennessee State University hosted the first screening of the documentary earlier this year. TSU President Glenda Glover said the documentary is an “extremely proud moment.”

“Whenever I talk with individuals about Coach Temple, I also remind them that he was a great educator as well, ensuring that all Tigerbelles earned their degrees as top student athletes,” Dr. Glover said. “The members of the Temple Documentary Fund and the filmmakers did an amazing job of documenting the remarkable accomplishments of the Tigerbelles under the leadership of Coach Temple.”

Temple was an internationally known track and field icon. He coached the TSU Tigerbelles for more than 40 years and the U.S. Women’s Track and Field team at the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games. During that time, he produced 41 Olympians who won 23 medals, 13 of them gold. Temple passed away Sept, 22, 2016, at the age of 89. He belongs to nine different halls of fame and is one of three coaches inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

The 40-minute documentary covers Temple and the Tigerbelles’ success during a time when the nation was embroiled in a civil rights crisis as African Americans sought equality. The film also features testimonials from historians, writers and former Tigerbelles.

Filmmaker Tom Neff, who wrote and directed the documentary, will lead a brief panel after the screening at the library.

Wyomia Tyus, a former Tigerbelle and the first person to win a gold medal for the same event in consecutive Olympics (1964 and 1968), will sign her book at the event.

 

Department of Media Relations

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About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.